Honda Reveals How They Compromised With Reliability to Make Max Verstappen the World Champion

Even though Max Verstappen dominated the 2022 F1 season and went on to win his second consecutive Drivers’ Championship, a recent huge revelation from Honda seems to suggest that it was not easy as it seemed for the Dutchman.

The 25-year-old scored a whopping 454 points in the season and won 15 races. In the process, he also broke the record for most wins in a season previously held by Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher (13).

Charles Leclerc, who finished second in the championship, only managed to score 308 points. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez ended the season with 305 points in the other Red Bull.

Honda reveal reliability compromise they made for Max Verstappen last year

While speaking to the media (as quoted by RacingNews365.com), Honda’s chief engineer, Tetsushi Kakuda, revealed how a change to the regulations resulted in them having to compromise on reliability significantly.

Poor reliability is why both Red Bull Racing teammates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez failed to finish the opening race in Bahrain last season.

Kakuda explained that the problem was not just limited to the Honda engines but also to other manufacturers. The issue was a result of all teams suffering a major performance loss due to the shift to E10 fuels.

 

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In order to ensure that the performance loss was minimal, Honda like most other teams were forced into a position to compromise on reliability by adding further load to their engine.

Honda’s chief engineer ended his remarks by stating that the team encountered several problems during the 2022 season, some of which have carried forward to this season.

Also Read: Max Verstappen Snubs Teammate Sergio Perez While Picking 2 Drivers for His Dream Side

Honda continue their efforts to improve reliability

In the same conversation with the media, Tetsushi Kakuda explained how Honda’s efforts to improve the reliability of their engines could help Red Bull Racing have more strategic options for the 2023 season.

Kakuda stated that if Honda is able to improve the reliability of their engines, then the Milton Keynes outfit could make better decisions in the way they want to use their power units for this season.

The start of the 2023 season is just around the corner as the first race weekend will take place in Bahrain from March 3 to 5. Meanwhile, pre-season testing will take place at the same venue from February 23 to 25.

Also Read: Max Verstappen Gives Fans an Excuse to Drink After Signing Mega Deal With $14 Billion Brand